Betrayal of Trust
by Orison
Summary: After an unexpected turn of events, Bosco realizes the truth about the woman he loves. Will he be able to face its consequences? *My take on the Bosco/Faith/Cruz relationship*
1. Default Chapter

**Betrayal of Trust**

***

Author: Orison

Disclaimer: Guess what? The characters aren't mine, but after meeting most of the cast I'd LOVE to own at least a couple of them! ;)

Rating: PG-13

Spoilers: General knowledge of the series up through season four.

Summary: After an unexpected turn of events, Bosco realizes the truth about the woman he loves. Will he be able to face its consequences? 

Author's note: I'm back! :) I know it's been a while since I posted something here, but I had little time to focus on writing a story, reading yours basically took away most of my time... *lol* This is the first time I actually post something that I haven't finished, I usually wait until I'm sure I can get through it, but before I spend all my time focusing on this story I need to know if it's good enough. I should warn you though, this means it's gonna take time for me to post a new chapter, 'cause as most of you already know, english isn't my native language. Please be patient... :)

Now, I realize this is the longest 'Author's note' you've ever read, but I want to take another minute to thank Amanda for giving me the idea for this story. She's been great and encouraged me to post this, so she deserves some credit! I know most of you writers have already explored the Bosco/Faith/Cruz relationship, but here's my take on it. Hope you like it. 

Feedback: Pleeeeeease, I need to know if I have to continue this or not.

***

Chapter one 

Demons

***

It'd been raining all night. Small, delicate flakes covering the streets, casting down a white blanket over cars, people, trees. 

Faith Yokas stared out the window, her gaze fixed on the gray, dimmed sky. Nothing good would come up today. 

She tried to remember a time when her heart was not overwhelmed with feelings she could no longer deal with, when everything was good and even her daily routine –family, friends and work- was something that she would look forward to but she couldn't. 

The previous week had been hell. More than that, a huge mistake that she'd willed herself to erase from her memory but that was still there, stronger than ever. Haunting her, day after day. 

As she listened to the sound of a siren wailing in the distance, she couldn't help thinking about Bosco. Wondering if he too was staring at the snow and shivering in the cold, winter breeze. Wondering if he was safe, or regretted his words as much as she regretted hers. 

She missed him, but most of all she knew him so well that it pained her to realize just how much this situation was probably affecting him, and she feared that he might not be able to find his way back this time, and would end up drowning in his own despair. Alone. Alone and away from the people who cared about him. 

Because deep inside, Faith knew her heart still belonged to him. And she would do her best to help him out. 

*** 

Maurice Boscorelli awoke in a cold sweat, clutching a pillow to his chest, calling his partner's name in the darkness of his motel room. 

He got up and opened the nearest window, closing his eyes as he breathed in the cold air. When he reopened them a few minutes later, the sweat on his face had started to dry. He shivered but didn't move. 

Resting his forehead against the cold glass, he wished for a night without nightmares, asking himself why his life had chosen such an unpredictable path, and why every time he seemed to have found some kind of stability, something would happen to make it all disappear and he would find himself alone. 

Just like he was alone now, away from that life he'd fought so hard to live. 

Love can blind you, confuse you to the point that when you finally realize it it's already too late and whatever mistake you've made, it cannot be fixed. 

He glanced at the snow outside, at the white layer that blanketed the parking lot, and wondered if she felt remorse, or was able to sleep at night knowing that she'd sentenced him to a life of misery. 

And wished that she'd killed him too. 

*** 

1 week earlier 

*** 

"Faith, why are you talking like this?" Bosco asked, glaring at his partner as he opened his locker. 

"Because I know her, Bosco, and she's using you!" 

"How the hell can you say you know her, huh? You barely talk to her!" 

She sat up at the tension in his voice. "I don't need to talk to her to see that she's a manipulative bitch! God, she treats you like her damned dog! You do something wrong, she pulls on the leash and makes sure you don't do that again. Trust me, that woman is trouble." 

Bosco looked at her, disbelief written all over his face. 

"Listen to me, you don't know the first thing about her, okay? She's my boss, and I respect her, but she's also someone I care about. She may be tough, but she gets the job done. You... you have no right to judge her!" 

"Oh come on, wake up Bosco, that woman doesn't give a damn about anyone but herself! She needs you right now, but she's going to say goodbye and move on when she's done." She insisted, watching his hands curl into fists. "I... I care about you. I don't want you to get hurt." 

"And what do you think you're doing right now? My best friend tells me that the woman I'm in love with is a cold, heartless bitch and you expect me to thank you?" He countered, his voice even. 

Faith let out and angered breath. "Love? What do you know about love?" she asked "You've never dated a woman for more than a week for god's sake!" 

"Well at least I'm not staying with someone just because I think I owe him something!" 

Faith backed down, hurt. "Bosco please, lower your voice, they're going to hear you..." 

"I don't care! I don't give a damn if the whole fucking precinct hears me. You're wrong, Faith, and I'm going to show you. I'm going to show you..." he said, angrily slamming his locker shut and heading out the door. 

"Bosco!" she called after him "I just want to help..." 

"I don't need your help!" he snapped as he turned around. "I can take care of myself. And just because you're not happy with your life and your job it doesn't mean I have to be miserable too!" he yelled before walking off and disappearing into the hallway. 

Faith felt tears spring to her eyes and quickly tried to blink them back. Sadness welled up within her, and she eventually let her body sag to the floor, willing herself not to cry. 

She'd dreaded this conversation, debated whether or not to tell him what she really thought about Sergeant Cruz. Bosco had actually been happier in the last few weeks, and it saddened her to realize that the woman was probably going to break his heart when she felt she could no longer use him. 

It had taken quite a lot of time to have him open up to her, their relationship still strained after that night at the hospital, but they'd finally worked things out. 

That until the explosion of the drug house that had drawn him and his superior together. He'd told her it had all started out as a night of wild sex, but then they'd grown closer and closer. 

Maurice Boscorelli didn't throw the "love" word around to just anyone, but this time he'd said she was the woman he was looking for. The right one. How can you convince someone who doesn't want to understand? How do you warn your best friend of the danger before it's too late? 

As she slowly pushed herself upright, Faith feared she'd just destroyed what little part was left of their friendship. 

*** 

TBC... 


	2. 2 Falling Down

Betrayal of Trust (2/?) 

Author's Note: Thank you SO much to everyone who's reviewed chapter one, hope I can live up to your expectations, and to those who haven't... well, I'm not angry. Not yet. You've got a chance to do it now. *lol* I think you can call this a transition chapter, it's short and there's not much action in it but I needed to set things up. Enjoy! 

*** 

Chapter two – Falling Down 

*** 

"Bosco? You alright over there?" Maritza Cruz asked as she looked at him from the passenger's seat. 

"Yeah, I'm fine." He muttered, his gaze fixed on the road ahead. 

"What was that all about?" 

He gave her a half laugh. "You heard?" 

"Well, everyone in the precinct heard you." She stated. "Why do you let her? She treats you like a damned kid!" 

"She's..." he started, then paused for a second. "I thought she was my friend..." 

"Well, obviously she's not so get over it. You don't need her." She reached out and ran a hand through his hair. "...Not as long as you got me." 

He turned his head to look at her. "Yeah. Not as long as I've got you." He repeated. "I'm sorry, it's just that... I mean Faith's been part of my life for nine years..." he shook his head, searching for what he wanted to say next "...it's not easy to... you know." 

Cruz gave his shoulder a light squeeze. "I know, but it's no use dwelling on it. You can't change it. The best thing you can do right now is focus on your job... and on me." She added, giving him a small smile. 

"That I can do." He nodded, his voice still tinged with sadness. "So what's our next move?" he asked, trying to get his mind off the argument he'd just had. 

"1013 Montgomery Street. Remember?" she quickly replied,a glint of excitement in her eyes. 

"Oh yeah, the drug house. How could I forget?" 

She'd been talking about it for days, still determined to find the men responsible of her sister's death. A personal revenge, fueled by a consuming rage acting like a lever. 

She was willing to give up everything to achieve her goal, ready to embrace vengeance and call it justice, no matter what damage she caused or whom she destroyed in the process. 

"So who's this guy again?" Bosco asked as he pressed on the gas pedal. 

"Ray Diaz. He's back in business after spending two years in jail. I've been watching him long before you joined anti-crime and believe me, I'm gonna nail the lid on the son of a bitch's coffin very soon. I have to." 

"I'm sure you will." He absently replied, his mind still on Faith and how her words still hurt like a slap to the face. "If the jag-off that ratted him out is telling the truth we'll get him and..." 

"Over there!" she called out before he had a chance to say more. 

Bosco slowed the car down and looked at the old apartment building. 

"Wait, leave the car around here. I don't want to stick out." 

He pulled along the curb and put the gear into park. He switched off the engine and rested his hands on the steering wheel. "Should I call for backup?" 

"Not yet." She reached for the door handle, then stopped and looked at him. "Bosco, I'm gonna need you in there." She said in a serious tone, her fingers tracing the badge hanging around his neck. "This is important." 

He shook his head and locked his gaze on her. Cruz's hand touched his chin. "You mess up with this he walks away, and I can't let that happen. You hear me? Forget about Faith Yokas and focus on the job, will ya?" 

"Sure. I'm ready." 

She leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the lips before clicking the door open. "Let's go." 

Bosco followed her out of the car and they crossed the street. 

The building was at least 40 years old, the windows either cracked or broken, with multi-coloured graffiti decorating the walls. Bosco stepped inside and took a quick glance around, Cruz following close behind. 

They were greeted by an eerie silence. 

"Creepy." Bosco whispered as he pulled out his gun and turned the safety off. Cruz motioned for him to go ahead, her weapon already drawn. 

He pointed to a flight of stairs. "I'll check the first floor." He mouthed as he moved forward, the old wooden stairs creacking under his feet as he made his way up. 

He held his breath, straining to hear even the smallest sound, and tightened the grip on his gun. Something wasn't right. It was all too quiet, and he wished she'd called for help. 

On the first floor, he passed unlighted rooms and closed doors as his heart pounded faster and louder in his chest. Suddenly at the end of the hallway, from behind a half-open door came a muffled noise, and he instinctively turned around, cocking the barrel. 

He walked back toward the stairs, nervously looking around as he neared the room. He peered around the doorframe. Silence. 

"Police!" he yelled, trying to get a better look inside. Nothing. 

Then before he had a chance to move, a shadow emerged from the darkness, lunging after him. Bosco staggered backwards, unable to maintain his balance, and they both fell to the ground. "Damn!" he cursed as the gun fell from his hand and landed a few feet behind. 

He swung, his fist catching the man he figured was Ray Diaz square in the face. They struggled for what seemed to be a small eternity, arms and legs tangled in a dangerous web. 

Bosco managed to deliver a few more blows and tried to stand up, but didn't see Diaz reaching for a pipe until it was too late. A sharp pain shot through him as it collided with his head and he went down, fear for the woman he loved the last thought on his mind before he hit the ground unconscious. 

Diaz got up, breathing heavily, and clutched his injured side. The hit he'd taken a few hours before was still clouding his judgement so he didn't reach for the gun that was laying on the ground, half hidden by a stack of boxes. 

He looked down at the now harmless cop. "Serves you right, asshole." He sneered before running out of the room. 

TBC... 

Author's Note II: Don't worry guys, nothing serious, I just needed him unconscious for a while. Trust me... ;) And YES, the idea of him being in love with Cruz gives me the creeps too! 


	3. No Rules No Regrets

Betrayal of Trust (3/?) 

Author's note: Well, thanks again for all the great reviews guys, that really means a lot to me! I hope Cruz is true to character in this story. I've only seen season four up to "The Witness" so I'm not sure I got her down well. Please let me know. This said, enjoy chapter three! ;) 

*** 

Chapter three – No Rules. No Regrets. 

*** 

Cruz had just reached the top of the stairs when she heard footsteps approaching. She quickly looked around, her gun at the ready, and spotted a man running in her direction. 

"Police!" she warned "Hands where I can see them!" 

Diaz, a bewildered look on his face, stopped in his tracks, unsure about what to do. 

"Get your damn hands in the air! NOW!" she ordered again, taking a few steps forward. "Well, who do we have here? Didn't your mom ever teach you not to make the same mistake twice? Huh?" 

She roughly grabbed him and pushed him up against the wall. "Now that's unfortunate..." she laughed as she pulled his hands behind his back and took her handcuffs, applying them to the man's wrists. 

"You remember me, Diaz?" she taunted as he struggled to get free from her grasp. "I'm sure you do. I'm the one who locked you up... And now you're gonna wish your sorry ass had never crossed my path!" she added, knocking his legs out from under him. 

"Ow!" Diaz cried out in pain as went to the ground face first. 

"My sister's dead, you bastard! Lettie's dead, and someone's got to pay for it!" she whispered through clenched teeth as she knelt down beside him. "I tried to help her, but she wouldn't listen... and it's all your fault, you hear me? She couldn't stay clean because you kept forcing her!" she yelled, pressing her gun into his back. 

"Hey, I didn't force anything on her, sister. That ain't my fault! She came to me, that worthless bitch!" 

Cruz's eyes narrowed and she glared at him. "Shut up!" 

"I didn't force her, she fucked up all by herself!" 

"I said shut up!" 

"You should've seen her, begging for more..." Diaz laughed, oblivious to the murderous thoughts crossing her mind. 

A surge of rage suddenly flooded her and she hit him in the head with the butt of her gun. She watched as his body went limp and got up, a proud grin on her face. She brushed some hair out of her face and tucked her gun back into the waistband of her jeans, taking a deep breath, when suddenly something came back to her. "Bosco." 

She took off, her quick steps echoing in the hallway, scanning the rooms until she found him sprawled to the ground, bleeding from a head wound. "Bosco!" she called again, but he didn't move. 

She walked closer, and was about to bend down and make sure he was alright when her gaze landed on his gun, still resting beside his unmoving body. 

She reached out her hand, then stopped, shaking her head as if trying to shake the thought off her mind. Her eyes darted back and forth between Bosco's still form and his weapon as a million thoughts screamed inside her head. 

She eventually approached him and checked for a pulse, relief washing over her when she found one, but she didn't try to wake him up. She just walked back to where the gun was and took it in her hand, staring at it as if it was the most beautiful thing in the world. 

Taking another deep breath, she stepped out into the hallway, her eyes wide with excitement and fear. No one knew their exact location so no one was supposed to come unless she radioed for backup, and that left her plenty of time to carry out her sick plan. 

She didn't slow down or give her idea a second thought. The man she held responsible of her little sister's death, the one she'd vowed revenge on was still unconscious, hands behind his back. She couldn't have asked for a better chance. 

_Payback's a bitch_, she smiled. _Take it or leave it._

She raised her hand, gun drawn, and pointed it at Diaz. She didn't think about Bosco, the man she was supposed to be in love with. Not once as she pulled the trigger and fired his weapon. Once, twice, three times. 

Not as she watched his body jerk as the bullets hit him, and then go limp again. She didn't feel sad or sorry for murdering a man in cold blood, relief the only feeling flowing through her. 

Her lips broke into a twisted smile as she closed her eyes and took a few, shallow breaths before crouching down next to Diaz's body to make sure he was really dead. 

"No one's going to miss you, asshole." She whispered to his ear. "And you know what? I always win. Always." 

She patted him on the shoulder and pushed herself up to her feet, glancing down the corridor. No witnesses. Perfect. 

In the dimly lit room a few feet ahead, it seemed like time had stopped the minute she'd chosen to cross the line between good and bad, between a cop and a criminal. 

Bosco was still out, but she figured it wouldn't be long before he started to wake up. She knelt down in front of him again and pulled a blue scarf out of her jacket pocket, using it to wipe out any fingerprints or whatever evidence the weapon might hold. 

No hesitation crossed her unwavering stare, not the slightest hint of remorse as she carefully placed it in his hand. 

Bosco stirred, his fingers curling involuntarily around the gun. His eyelids fluttered but didn't open. She carefully removed his handcuffs from his belt and placed them on her own. 

"I guess I should say I'm sorry now, but I'm not." She snided, her eyes gleaming in the low light coming from the hallway. "The bastard deserved to die and you... you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. But that's who you are, right? You always get into trouble so no one will care, not even that bitch partner of yours, and no one's going to believe you over me." 

She paused, another small grin lighting her face. 

"I can't go to jail, not when I can still make a difference out there. Life isn't fair, Boscorelli. I know it sucks, but we all have priorities, and mine is revenge. ...I did have a good time though, you're a great lover..." she finished, tracing her fingers over his chest. Her features softened for a moment, but as quickly as it'd come, the moment passed away, and she regained her composure. _Don't let your feelings get in the way_, she told herself before reaching for her cellphone and heading out the room. 

***


	4. Without any warning

Author's note: Here's part four, and as usual thank you to those who replied. You know who you are. ;)

***

Chapter four – Without any Warning

***

Bosco felt himself waking up from his unconscious state. His mind immediately registered a throbbing pain to the side of his head where Diaz had struck him with the pipe, and a wave of nausea washed over him as soon as he tried to move.

His eyes slowly opened as he raised his left hand and instinctively started to rub his temple in a vain attempt to soothe the pain.

He blinked a couple of times, and the room finally came into view. Dirt. Dim light. Scattered boxes.

He wasn't sure where he was or what had hit him, but a sense of dread had risen within him since he'd opened his eyes. He had the sinking feeling that something horrible had just happened, but tried to force the thought out of his mind.

The last thing he remembered clearly was the look on Faith's eyes as he told her he didn't need her help. That he was going to prove her wrong. After that, only flashes of actions and feelings that his mind, still disoriented from the attack, refused to remember.

He could hear a voice in the distance, but was unable to make out the words. The voice sounded familiar, though he couldn't tell whom it belonged to, and Bosco decided to find out where it was coming from.

He pushed himself up and rubbed his sore neck as he once again looked at his surroundings, searching the room top to bottom, left to right for something familiar. He found none.

Another wave of nausea hit him, and he was forced down on his knees. Using his left hand to support himself, he wiped some sweat off his forehead and took in a few deep breaths.

That's when he noticed the gun still clutched in his right hand.

He couldn't remember what had happened, but found it unlikely that whoever had knocked him out had apparently forgotten about his weapon.

He shook his head as if to clear his mind as he surveyed himself for further injuries, but that didn't help. He was dressed in his regular clothes but was holding a gun. Working Anti-Crime? But then again, why was he alone? 

__

I need to get the hell out of here, he reasoned as he pulled himself back to his feet and took a few, tentative steps.

The voice was still clear, although it sounded more distant now. Bosco stepped into the hallway, gun drawn, and started to walk towards it. With each step, he felt more confident, his strenght slowly coming back, when something caught his eye and he stopped in his tracks.

A man was laying on the ground, face down. His hands were tied behind his back, and he wasn't moving. 

"What the hell?" he frowned. 

Even in the faint light of the building, he could see the blood pooled around him, and three small holes where the bullets had hit. He cast an involuntary glance at his gun and got closer.

The man was obviously dead, but the fact that he'd been shot in the back meant he was probably running, trying to escape. But why running away with your hands cuffed?

Bosco's mind was racing a mile a minute, struggling to remember, asking questions he wasn't yet ready to answer. He bent down and checked for a pulse though he already knew he wouldn't find one. 

__

Is this the man who attacked me? He wondered as he realized he could no longer hear the voice. 

Suddenly, flashes of lost memories assaulted his head.

__

I'm looking for a suspect. Diaz. Ray Diaz. Graffiti covering the walls. A noise upstairs, then someone grabs me from behind. Where the hell is Cruz? Cruz! His brain cried out. _We were together._

"I need to find her," he urged himself. "And she better be okay."

His heart beat faster and faster as he neared the edge of the stairs, his footsteps pressing on the pavement the only sound now echoing in the abandoned building. A few seconds later, the silence was broken. He jumped, startled, and flinched as the movement only made his headache worse.

The voice was back. Stronger than ever.

"Thank God," he whispered as he recognized his girlfriend speaking.

She sounded fine, and hearing no other voices around, he figured she was talking on the phone. He was about to call her name when a few words caught his attention. Was she talking about him?

He leaned with both hands on the railing and focused on what she was saying.

"No Lieu, I don't know what happened." She explained, absently running a hand through her hair. "I was knocked unconscious, and didn't see him until a few minutes ago... Yeah, he's dead. CSU should be here any minute. ... No, that's not how... Yeah, I'm fine. Listen, I gotta tell you something." 

She paused for a moment and smiled, unaware of the man listening to her every word.

"Diaz, he was shot in the back. Three times. But I'm not sure it was self-defense. Lieu, the guy had his hands cuffed behind his back. ... Yeah, I'm sure. And I know what that means. ... Alright, maybe we're jumping to conclusions here." She said, throwing a hand up in despair and letting out an angered breath. 

She was getting restless, but had to convince the Lieutenant so she did her best to calm down before she spoke again.

"Look, I know it's probably too soon to tell, and of course I hope I'm wrong, but I think Boscorelli lost it. I mean, he could've threatened the guy and... Yeah, I know he's a good cop, but even good cops make mistakes. We all know he's got a temper, maybe he thought I was dead and lost all control."

Her hand curled into fist at her side. The guy was tougher than she'd expected. Did he actually care about his officer?

"Lieu, we're talking about murder here. He may have been upset but he made a mistake, and as much as it pains me there's a chance that Boscorelli's responsible of killing this man in cold blood."

Bosco's eyes widened in shock.

__

This is not happening. No way. I didn't shoot a man in cold blood. That's not me. Please tell me that wasn't me... He backed away, his hands jerking from the railing as if he'd been burned, and staggered backwards.

__

That can't be me, his mind kept screaming, drowning out every other sound.

Cruz was still talking, her subtle words slowly finding their way into the Lieutenant's head, but Bosco wasn't listening anymore. He didn't need to.

Without even realizing it, his now unsteady legs led him back along the hallway, back where the nightmare had started. He passed Diaz's limp body, his eyes fixing again on the puddle of blood around him, and the sight almost made him sick to his stomach.

He leaned on the wall and tried to catch his breath. Then, in an ultimate attempt to convince himself he'd heard it wrong, he raised his hand to check his gun. Three bullets were missing.

"Oh my God..." He closed his eyes and let the news sink in. _I'm a murderer. I killed a man and I don't even remember it._

He stood there, pinned to the wall, thinking about what had just happened, wondering whether or not he was guilty as charged.

__

They're going to arrest me. As soon as that phone call is over, Cruz is going to come looking for me. 

He straightened himself and started walking, feeling like he was being torn apart from the inside out. _I can't go to jail. I can't. _

He quickened his pace and entered one of the rooms as his desperation threatened to overcome him. He pointed straight to the window, and easily lifted it open. 

He stepped out onto the fire escape, and in a matter of seconds he was gone.

TBC...


	5. Lies

Author's note: Guess what? I am feeling good today, so I decided to give you guys another chapter to read. Strange enough, I like this one, and I'd love to read some good reviews... ;)

***

Chapter five – Lies

***

"What do you mean he's gone?" A very angry-looking Lieutenant Swersky asked an equally pissed Cruz as he approached her at the entrance of the building.

"I told you, I went upstairs as soon as I got off the phone with you, and he was gone!" she replied, her cold eyes glaring at him.

She couldn't believe her perfect plan might not work. She'd left him alone only for a couple of minutes, and he was still unconscious. How in hell had he managed to wake up and run away?

There was no telling now what could happen. Did he realize she'd set him up? Did he hear what she'd told the Lieutenant? Standing outside the old apartment complex, hands on her hips, Maritza Cruz realized that not knowing was far more worse than building up a castle of lies, and for a moment she debated whether or not to go on with her story.

Her lips eventually broke into a small smile. She already knew the answer to that question. _Go ahead. They trust you._

Half of the precinct was already there. Cruisers, EMS trucks were parked all the way down the street, their roof lights spinning and blazing in the night.

The building that was quiet only half an hour ago was now buzzing with police activity. Two officers were setting up bright yellow tape, taping off the area as a crime scene.

On the first floor, detectives were nervously walking around as the coroner's investigative team and a pathologist exchanged their opinions and took pictures of Ray Diaz's body.

Crime scene scientists were dusting for fingerprints, groaning as they realized the place was so big they were never going to make it by the end of the shift.

Lieutenant Swersky ducked under the tape and approached one of the detectives, his eyes laden with concern as he surveyed the scene.

"Sir, this is bad. Whoever did this didn't really like this man." A 40-year old black man held out his hand to Swersky and shook it. "Detective Cooke."

"I can see that, Detective." The old man frowned.

"Sergeant Cruz tells me you already have a suspect?" He asked as he pulled a notebook out of his pocket.

Swersky immediately turned around, his brown, narrowed eyes meeting Cooke's dark ones. "The only thing we have here is a missing officer. Our Sergeant should know that a man is innocent until proven otherwise."

Cruz, who was standing beside him, cast her eyes downward.

"We have no proof Boscorelli's responsible for this." He continued. "For all we know, Diaz could have an accomplice and he could be in danger as we speak."

"Oh, come on Lieu! You know how these things work." The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. _Stay cool. You've nothing to worry about. _"Boscorelli's got a temper, we all know it, and I think we should prepare ourselves for the worst."

The man couldn't believe what he was hearing. 

"Which side are you on, Sergeant?" he inquired, his gaze never leaving her side. "Boscorelli's one of my best officers, why should I believe he murdered a man in cold blood?"

"Because that's what I'm telling you!" she insisted, an exasperated look in her eyes. "I was there, remember? And because that's what those guys will find out when they run the ballistics on the bullets that killed the bastard!" she finished, pointing to the CSU techs.

"So... what exactly happened here, Sergeant?" Detective Cooke finally stepped in.

Cruz tried to regain her composure and crossed her arms over her chest. 

"I got a call about Diaz. He is ...was, a drug dealer. Worst of the worst. Anyway, one of his men ratted him out, told me where I could find him. ... They're all the same, you know. You rough'em up a little bit, they start crying like babies." She added, a smirk on her face.

"We parked the car one block away to avoid unnecessary attention and got into the building. The first floor was clear so we headed upstairs. I told Boscorelli to be careful, but he kept saying he had everything under control. ... I should've gone first, Lieu." She reasoned, trying to show some concern.

"We heard a noise but couldn't locate our suspect so we decided to split up. I went left, and he went right. Next thing I remember, someone hit me from behind." She stopped and reached out a hand to stroke the back of her head. 

__

This is where he hit me, the gesture said. _Can't believe how stupid you two are._

"Are you alright, Sergeant?" The Lieutenant asked. "You should let the paramedics check you out."

"I'm fine. All I want right now is to find Boscorelli."

"I know." He agreed. "That's all that matters."

"Did you see the guy?" Detective Cooke pressed. "I really need to know what happened here, Sarge." 

" I saw someone out of the corner of my eye. White man, tall, hooded sweatshirt. Didn't realize it was Diaz until I saw him later."

"You saw him later?" Swersky chimed in. _Damn._

"Dead. When I saw him –dead- later."

Cooke gave her a questioning look but went on. "So he knocked you unconscious?"

"You can say that. I was out cold for a couple of minutes I guess." She lied. "When I came to, I heard voices coming from the hallway. Boscorelli was threatening the guy, telling him he was gonna make sure he wouldn't sell his stuff to little kids anymore..." Her voice trailed off as she stared at the dead body.

"You sure it was Boscorelli's voice?"

"What kind of question is that?" Cruz snapped. "He's one of my men, detective. Of course I know his voice!"

Cooke held up his hand to cut her off. "Whoa, calm down Sergeant, I'm just doing my job!"

"And I need to do mine!" she angrily replied. "Are we done?"

"Not yet." Lieutenant Swersky spoke again. "I still need to hear the rest of the story."

"Fine." She grunted. "Shots were fired, and when I got there, Diaz was laying on the ground where you can see him. Dead. Boscorelli was standing beside him, visibly upset. I asked if he was okay but he wouldn't answer. He kept saying that the situation got out of hand and that he'd made a mistake."

"Did he tell you he shot the guy?" Cooke said as he kept writing on his notebook.

"No, not directly." Cruz replied. "But I sensed something was wrong. I told him to calm down, and that I needed to notify the Department so I left him alone to call you. You know the rest." She finished, facing the Lieutenant. _That's it, Boscorelli. Your career is officially over._

"I think that's enough for now, Sergeant. But I expect a full report by tomorrow." He shook his head in frustration. "This doesn't look good." 

"Sir, do you think Boscorelli's capable of murder?"

The question hung in the air for what seemed like eternity, time only making things worse as they all exchanged worried glances.

"No." Swersky finally said. "But him disappearing from a crime scene sure doesn't help."

"What are we gonna do now? Cooke asked.

"I'm gonna send two units over to his place in case he shows up, and alert the department to be on the lookout for him." Swersky explained.

The detective nodded his head.

"And somebody get a hold of Yokas. If we're lucky he'll contact her."

"I doubt it." Cruz whispered as her lips curved into a smile.

"What?"

"I said I hope so."

***

TBC...


	6. The Dark Side of the Moon

Author's note: Well, here's another one, and you're actually going to find out what happened to Bosco here... ;) Enjoy, and as always, thanks for your reviews! Also, to answer someone's question, this is NOT going to be a Bosco/Faith shipper fic. I want it to be as much true to character as possible, so that's not likely to happen in this story. 

***

Chapter six – The Dark Side of the Moon

***

It's amazing how quickly it happens. How little time it takes to go from safety to trouble, from routine to tragedy. A handful of seconds. A heartbeat, and your life starts falling apart, spinning out of control.

Bosco exhaled slowly as he squeezed his eyes shut tightly for a moment, willing the memories of the last couple of hours to go away. The windshield immediately clouded with the condensation of his breath, blurring his reflection.

His head was still pounding, his eyes bloodshot, and the gash on his forehead would've probably needed stitches, but he'd managed to fix it as best as he could before heading to the bus station.

After getting out of the building through the fire escape, he'd hailed a cab and rushed over to his place to get some cash and gather a few things. Then, giving the driver an extra tip to step on the gas pedal, he'd reached the terminal and hopped on the first bus available, not even caring about the destination.

Leaving New York hadn't probably been the smartest choice, but the possibility of facing his superiors about facts that he still couldn't remember had sounded even scarier than dealing with his conscience and trying to make some sense of the senseless.

The fog in his brain wasn't thinning, as well as the pain, both physical and emotional. He tried to think back and focus on the questions that floated through his brain, seeking light into the darkness, but nothing came out. 

He still had no recollection of the events that had led to Diaz's murder, or of how Cruz fitted into the story, but an overwhelming guilt was already infecting his system like a dangerous poison. The kind of guilt that can tear a man up inside. _What have I done?_ He kept asking himself, desperate to find an answer. 

Just then, the raspy voice of the bus driver informed him that they'd reached Providence, Rhode Island. Bosco retrieved his duffel bag and got off the bus, pulling his jacket closer as a gust of cold wind hit him.

He looked around, his gaze fixing on a young couple who'd apparently reunited after a long time. The woman was crying as the man pulled her into a hug and promised never to leave her again. _Don't make promises you can't keep,_ Bosco said to himself as he walked past them and out of the station, wondering if his fellow officers had already searched his apartment.

The night had fallen around him like a black steel curtain as the wind continued to howl.

Bosco swung his bag over his shoulder and rubbed his hands together to warm them up as he tried to figure out what to do. He had no idea where to go, but as soon as he rounded a corner he spotted a 24-hour convenience store and figured that was a good choice to grab something to eat and ask for the nearest motel. 

The clerk, a young boy with thick glasses who looked like he wished to be anywhere else but there, annoyingly told him that his uncle owned one. 

"It's only two blocks away. Down the road to the left."

Bosco thanked him and turned to leave.

"Hey, you tell him Frankie sent you. I... he gives me extra bucks for every customer I provide."

"Sure." He absently replied, heading for the door.

The motel wasn't big, but pretty easy to spot, and the owner had been quite impressed to hear that young Frankie had given him his name.

"That kid's gonna give my ol' sister a heart attack one day. I'm telling you, he's a good-for-nothing little prick!" he angrily said, shaking his head.

"Whatever." Bosco replied. "Can I go now?"

"Room 126." He handed him the key and watched as he disappeared down the hallway. "Weird guy," he muttered to himself. "And weird name."

The room was small and cold, but it looked clean.

Bosco dropped his duffel bag on the ground and laid down on the bed, feeling a familiar weariness settling in. He was alone again, and had no one to blame but himself.

He stared at the phone and thought about calling Cruz, but quickly dismissed the idea. He missed her, but didn't want to be caught. At least, not until he was able to figure out what had happened.

He'd worked so hard for justice. He'd followed the rules. He had principles. He was a good man, a good cop. He should've been rewarded, not forced to sacrifice his whole career or hide in a cheap motel.

He felt like he was trapped in a nightmare he desperately wanted to awaken from, and wished he had his best friend to turn to.

Faith. Faith would know what to do. She'd have a good piece of advice to give, or a comforting word to ease his pain. _Why have I turned her down? What am I gonna do now?_ He asked himself as he gazed out the window.

He got up and took a beer from the six-pack he'd purchased at the store.

There were worse things than being alone, he reasoned. But as he sat there in the dark room, with his future hanging by a thread, he had a hard time thinking of what those things were.

As he took a sip of the cold liquid, his mind thought back to that night at the cabin, to Sully's self-destructive behaviour. '_He had a gun.' 'Haven't we all thought about it once or twice?' _

The words echoed in his mind.

He wished that he could drink himself to death, but deep inside he knew he didn't want to end his life so he kept drinking, beer after beer, his head spinning with all kinds of terrible thoughts and images, until his eyes finally closed and his mind trailed off into darkness.

***

"Lieu? Any news on Bosco?" Faith asked as she rushed into her superior's office.

She'd received a call from the dispatcher a couple of hours before, and advised that Officer Boscorelli had been involved in a shooting and was now listed as a suspect for the murder of one Ray Diaz.

They had told her that he'd left the crime scene with no apparent reason, and that she should notify the department if he ever tried to contact her.

__

Why should he? She'd asked herself. _He hates me. I hurt his feelings when I told him Cruz was no good, he probably doesn't want to have anything to do with me anymore._

Despite all that, she still cared, and the news that he might be responsible of taking another man's life had affected her more than she ever thought it would.

After a quick phone conversation with the Lieutenant to get a few more detail, she'd found herself driving to his place. Of course he wasn't there, but a few things were missing, so she figured he wouldn't be home anytime soon.

She'd tried his cellphone, searched the neighborhood, even called his mother to ask her if she'd heard from him, but ended up empty-handed.

Now, coming back to the precinct hours after the end of her shift, she hoped against her better judgement to hear some good news.

"Faith?" Swersky looked at her through the stack of paperwork on his desk and motioned for her to come closer. "Sorry. No leads."

Her gaze dropped to the floor. "Oh. I just... hoped, you know..."

"Yeah, I know." He got up and approached her. "We'll find him, Faith."

She nodded her head, not trusting herself to speak.

__

I hope you're alright, Bos. Wherever you are.

***


	7. Hide and Seek

Author's note: Thanks for your reviews guys, that's the reason why I'm posting another part so soon... :) I'm having a great time writing this story, even if it's not exactly a funny one, and I'm still in a good mood so please let me know that you're still with me.  
  
***  
  
Chapter seven - Hide and Seek  
  
***  
  
A week had passed by, and Bosco was still listed as missing. Worst of all, he was still the prime suspect for the murder of Ray Diaz.  
  
The forensic team was almost positive that the bullets extracted from the man's body matched Bosco's 9mm, though they couldn't be 100% sure without further analysis on the weapon.  
  
The news of his possible guilt and consequent disappearance had shocked the precinct into silence. Sad faces stared at each other in the locker room and at roll call, silently asking questions and refusing to believe that hot-headed Boscorelli might have made such a big and irreversible mistake.  
  
Lieutenant Swersky had urged everybody to stay focused and be on the lookout for him while a few trusted officers, Sully and Davis on top, were still splitting their time between regular street patrol and the search for their friend.  
  
They'd checked the airports, every train station, bus terminal and car rental shop in the city, but no one seemed to remember a man matching Bosco's description.  
  
Faith was trying her best not to fall apart.  
  
The rain pounding hard on the windshield of her truck suited her sorrowful mood as she drove herself to work. One week and still no word on Bosco. She couldn't stand the thought of him being alone somewhere, probably drinking himself to sleep, or the fact that the last words they'd spoken to each other had been words of hatred and rage.  
  
She'd been angry at him. Way beyond pissed at times. But during those long, sleepless nights she'd realized they'd come a long way together, and whatever mistake they'd made it wasn't enough to sacrifice nine years of friendship.  
  
A strong bond even Maritza Cruz couldn't break.  
  
Where was she anyway? Living her own life, pursuing her own goal like nothing had happened. She was always so calm and sure, like she had no feelings at all.  
  
Did she care about him?  
  
A woman's instinct never fails, and from the first time she'd laid eyes on her, Faith had sensed she was going to be nothing but trouble.  
  
She stopped in front of the precinct and parked her car, then turned the engine off and took a deep breath before heading inside.  
  
***  
  
Bosco was laying sideways across the bed when a blast of cold air woke him up from a restless sleep. He raised his head from the pillow and immediately spotted the half-opened window from a few hours before.  
  
He pushed himself off the bed and walked towards it, mechanically locking it up as he'd done countless times in the past. He then turned around, stretching his sore muscles, and stared at the messy room.  
  
A full bottle of beer, the only companion in his endless nights, was still resting on the nightstand. The rest laid scattered on the floor. Clothes were discarded everywhere, along with empty boxes of pizza and chinese dinner.  
  
The previous week had passed in a blur. He'd never left his motel room other than to get something to eat or for a quick night run.  
  
He'd basically tortured himself. He was good at it, because a part of him believed that he deserved to be tortured, and hiding like a common criminal had definitely taken its toll on him.  
  
He'd found himself frightened by small noises, saw threats in places and people when none existed. He seemed to have lost control of his feelings, that same control he'd once taken pride in.  
  
He couldn't explain why this situation was affecting him so much, but he feared who he might become in another week, or a month, or a year.  
  
Then, the unexpected breakthrough.  
  
After waking up from the latest nightmare in which Cruz was laughing at him while he was sitting in jail, he'd finally remembered what had happened in the building on Montgomery Street. Only that had risen a whole new bunch of questions, even scarier and more painful than the first ones.  
  
He recalled searching the second floor of the abandoned place until he'd heard a noise from one of the apartments and inched forward, figuring Cruz was still behind to back him up. Then Diaz had attacked him, and after wrestling on the ground for a couple of minutes, the guy had knocked him unconscious.  
  
But that made no sense.  
  
He'd woken up in the same room a short time later, and Diaz was already dead in the hallway. How was that possible?  
  
Cruz had told the Lieutenant he'd shot the man, but when? If his mind wasn't playing tricks on him, that couldn't be true.  
  
But why would she lie? His girlfriend would never lie about something like that, would she?  
  
Then, out of the blue, something came back to him, something he'd filed away. Cruz, she was smiling. She was talking on the phone and smiling.  
  
Realization had hit him like a ton of bricks.  
  
Still having a hard time accepting the truth, he staggered to the bathroom, running a hand through his hair,. He felt like he'd been stabbed in the back. This can't be true. People don't hurt the ones they love, he kept telling himself as he shook his head and splashed some cold water on his face. She said she loved me.  
  
His world had turned upside down. Lies were truth, the truth was a lie, the impossible was possible, and innocence was guilt.  
  
As he wiped his face with a towel, carefully avoiding his reflection in the mirror, he heard Faith's words echoing in his head. She's no good, Bos.  
  
She'd been right. Faith had been right from the start, and he'd pushed her away.  
  
***  
  
"What are you doing here?" Cruz asked as she walked into the Lieutenant's office.  
  
"What?" Faith turned around and glared at the other woman. Great.  
  
"Where's Swersky?"  
  
"He's with the detectives."  
  
"You didn't answer my question." Cruz insisted, tapping her foot on the ground.  
  
"I just did." Faith shrugged.  
  
"Don't play dumb with me, Yokas!"  
  
"You know what? This is getting old. You're not my superior so you don't give me orders and I don't have to answer your questions. You got a problem with that?"  
  
As much as she wanted to, Cruz didn't reply, but a look of pure rage crossed her stare. Everything was going exactly like she wanted to, but she still needed to be extra careful so she figured it was best not to argue with her.  
  
She put her hands on her hips, pulling her jacket slightly back. Faith stared at her, disbelief on her face.  
  
"Those are Bosco's handcuffs." she stated. They might not have been best friends lately, but she was well aware of his expensive nickelplated cuffs, and knew he wouldn't just give them to anyone, girlfriend included.  
  
Damn, how the hell does she know? "Yeah. So?"  
  
"So why do YOU have them?"  
  
"This is none of your business, Officer." Cruz argued, her lips pursed in anger.  
  
"It IS my business when MY partner's suspected of killing a man and you two were the only ones in that building, Sergeant." She coldly replied, stressing the word -my-.  
  
"Your partner." She repeated, smiling slightly. "You don't have a partner anymore. As soon as we find him he's probably going to say goodbye to his career."  
  
Faith took a step forward. "I can see you're all torn up about this."  
  
"Doesn't matter what I think, officer. He made a mistake he's going to jail."  
  
"Oh yeah, and you're gonna make sure they throw away the key."She remarked. "Is that what you wrote in your report? 'He killed a man, he needs to go to jail?' "  
  
"I will not tolerate any more of this crap!" Cruz snapped, pointing a finger at her. "You have no right to..."  
  
"Yokas. You got a call on line two." Swersky's voice interrupted her.  
  
"Thanks, Lieu." she replied before glaring at Cruz one last time and heading out the door.  
  
*** 


	8. The Hunt

Author's note: Missed me? :) Well, here's another chapter for you guys. Thanks for your nice reviews, and please keep them coming!  
  
***  
  
Chapter eight - The Hunt  
  
***  
  
Faith left the room and walked to the admit desk. The Lieutenant hadn't said if it was a personal or a work-related call, but she'd immediately thought about Bosco. Maybe he wanted to come back.  
  
"John, I got a call?" she asked the desk Sergeant.  
  
"Yeah." He replied, pointing to the nearest phone. "Line two."  
  
"You know what this is about?"  
  
"Nope, sorry."  
  
"Okay."  
  
Her hand hesitated before lifting up the receiver. Please God, let it be Bosco. "Hello?"  
  
"Officer Yokas?"  
  
It wasn't Bosco. Faith closed her eyes and sighed in frustration, leaning her elbows on the desk. Were they ever going to find him? "Yeah, that's me."  
  
"Hi, this is James McTiernan from the Port Authority Bus Terminal."  
  
"Oh, hi Mr. McTiernan, how can I help you?"  
  
They'd spent two days interviewing employees from every bus and train station in Manhattan but ended up with no leads, so either Bosco was still hiding somewhere in the city, or they were missing something.  
  
"You remember that picture you showed me the other day? That suspect?"  
  
Faith's heart skipped a beat. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out.  
  
"Amanda, one of my employees, well... she's been on sick leave for a couple of days and just came back. She says she remembers the guy. You still looking for him?"  
  
"Yeah. Yeah, we're still looking for him."  
  
Faith felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She tried to reason that that didn't prove anything yet, that even if they got a place that didn't mean they were going to find him, but right now it was the only lead they had.  
  
"Listen, I need to talk to her, okay? I... I'll be there as soon as I can. Thanks for calling, Mr. McTiernan."  
  
She hung up the phone as her lips parted into a smile and walked back to the Lieutenant's office. She knocked on the door and breathed a sigh of relief when she realized the man was alone inside. "Sir?"  
  
"Faith. Sit down."  
  
"Sir, I got a lead." She triumphantly said, taking a seat across from his desk.  
  
"What?"  
  
"The guy on the phone, he works at the Port Authority Bus Terminal. He said one of his employees thinks she remembers Bosco. I have to go there, Lieu."  
  
The man nodded his head. "Fine. Take Sullivan with you, Davis just requested a day off."  
  
"Okay. Thanks, Lieu."  
  
"Faith," he spoke again. "Try not to get your hopes up on this. We don't know anything for sure."  
  
She dropped her gaze to the floor  
  
"I know. But it's something, and slim hope is better than no hope at all."  
  
"Keep me posted."  
  
"I will."  
  
***  
  
"God Sully, can't you drive a little faster?" Faith complained from the passenger seat as her friend drove 55-Charlie through the city traffic.  
  
"We're stuck, Faith. I can't drive any faster." He replied, looking at her from the corner of his eye.  
  
He could tell she was getting restless. She had her right arm draped out the window, absently thumping her fingertips against the door of the car, and she kept looking at her watch.  
  
"Just calm down, will ya? You're making me nervous."  
  
"I can't Sully," she admitted. "This is Bosco we're talking about. He's one of our own. We've spent the last week examining every lead, every single piece of evidence, and we finally caught a break. That girl could give us some answers."  
  
"Yeah, this is Bosco we're talking about." Sully muttered, tightening his grip on the steering wheel. "The loud-mouthed cop with a 'playing-God' complex."  
  
Faith shot a glare in his direction.  
  
"Bosco wouldn't just disappear without a reason. He probably doesn't even realize we're looking for him."  
  
"He wouldn't, huh?" He questioned, waiting for her reaction. "Remember the Golden case a year ago? Boscorelli was a murder suspect and what did he do? He called in sick and disappeared for a whole day."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" She angrily replied. "He didn't kill that Johnson guy, and he didn't kill Diaz either!"  
  
"How could you possibly know it?"  
  
Faith bit her bottom lip. "I can feel it."  
  
"Look, I'm not trying to imply anything here," he apologized. "But you two had your own problems long before all this happened. Maybe he's changed."  
  
"He may have changed but he's not a murderer." Faith said confidently.  
  
"Let's go find out." Sully whispered as he parked the RMP across from the bus station and got out.  
  
***  
  
"So he was here?"  
  
Amanda was an 18 year-old attractive young girl. Short, dark-haired, self- assured, she worked part-time at the Coach bus lines to pay for her pre-med school. She'd lost five days of work due to a nasty stomach flu, and that's why they hadn't talked to her when they'd first questioned the employees.  
  
Apparently, she'd come back to work and immediately recognized the man in the picture that Mr. McTiernan had hung on the clipboard at the office.  
  
"Last week. I think it was Tuesday, 'cause that's when I started to feel sick."  
  
Faith nodded her head. "Do you remember what time it was?"  
  
The girl paused for a moment. "Around eight. He was in a hurry and asked for the first bus available, so I sold him a ticket to the 8:25 bus to Providence."  
  
"Providence, Rhode Island?" Faith repeated, a shocked expression on her face. God Bosco, where did you go? She turned to look at Sully, who wore an equally bewildered look.  
  
"Yeah, what else?" Amanda shot them an annoyed glare as she smoothed her curly hair. "I told you, he wasn't interested in the destination, he just asked for the first bus available."  
  
"Did he look upset or in pain?" Faith asked again, unable to stop herself.  
  
"Well, he had this bandage on his forehead and he kept rubbing his temples so yeah, I guess he was in pain."  
  
Faith flinched at the thought that Bosco might be hurt, and urged the girl to go on.  
  
"Is he a criminal or something?" Amanda inquired.  
  
Sully opened his mouth to speak but hesitated before answering. "No miss. He's not a criminal." He said, his voice faltering slightly. His hesitation didn't go unnoticed, prompting another glare from his partner.  
  
"Good," she smiled. " 'Cause, you know... I would've asked him out if he wasn't in such a hurry."  
  
Sully rolled his eyes. What's with Boscorelli and women?  
  
"So that's it?" Faith pressed.  
  
Amanda threw her hands in the air in an apologetic gesture. "Yeah. I'm sorry, but I don't think I remember anything else."  
  
"It's okay, Amanda. You've been of great help."  
  
"No problem." The girl shrugged, a proud expression on her face.  
  
"Now what?" Sully asked as they walked back to the RMP.  
  
"I think it's time to pay a little visit to that building on Montgomery Street."  
  
"Why Faith? CSU's already searched the place, what can we possibly find that they don't know already?"  
  
For the first time since Bosco had disappeared, she had the feeling they were onto something good.  
  
"Let's try anyway. Look, I'm just playing a hunch here."  
  
"Then I hope you're right." 


	9. End Game

Author's note: Well, it looks like you're still liking this story, and that makes me really happy. :) Thanks for your support guys, and keep reviewing!

***

Chapter nine - End Game

***

"You really believe he's in Providence?" Sully asked as he followed Faith into the building at 1013 Montgomery Street.

"Why not?" she shrugged.

"So what, are you gonna drive up there to find him?"

Faith turned around to face him, a puzzled expression on her face. She hadn't considered the possibility of a trip to Rhode Island, but now it really didn't sound like a bad idea. Providing Bosco still wanted to see her.

Sully's eyes widened. "You are?"

"I don't know, Sully." She sighed. "I mean, he'd probably do the same for me."

"You'd never shoot a suspect, Faith." he stated as he climbed up the stairs to the second floor. "You're smarter than that."

"Bosco's not stupid. And he sure doesn't look for trouble." There it was. That maternal instinct she couldn't help feeling when it came to her partner.

"He may not be looking for trouble but when it comes calling he's never out of earshot." Sully admitted.

"You know what? Forget about it." She replied, a hint of annoyance in her voice. She walked past him and reached the hallway.

The place smelled awful and looked even worse, but no one was around. All the police activity from the previous week had apparently scared the junkies away.

Faith shuddered as she inched forward, weapon drawn, Sully right behind.

"This is where it happened." She said, staring at the large puddle of dried blood a few feet from her. The spot had been chalked off by the detectives, and you could still see the outline of the body on the gray pavement.

Sully nodded his head. "So what exactly are we looking for?"

"I don't know." She couldn't explain it, but something just didn't feel right. Now if only she could figure it out.

"Keep going." She urged him.

They started to search the apartments, one by one, looking for anything even remotely resembling a clue.

"Faith, look at this." Sully called a few minutes later. He pointed the beam of his flashlight to the ground as she approached him.

"What?"

"Looks like someone got hit with this thing." 

His words caught Faith's attention and she crouched down, her eyes fixed on what appeared to be some kind of pipe with bloodstains on it.

"Sully..." she whispered, holding out her arm to reach it.

"Don't touch it." The man spoke up. "You don't want to destroy any evidence."

"You think..." Faith looked at him, unable to finish her sentence. Amanda's words echoed in her head. _He had a bandage on his forehead._ What if Bosco had been hit?

"I don't know. But someone should take a look at it."

She pulled a handkerchief out of her pocket and used it to carefully lift the pipe from the ground and take a better look at it. "How did the CSU guys miss this?"

"Not sure. Apparently they didn't bother to check all the apartments."

Faith stood up and shook her head. "I can't believe this."

"Slow down, Faith. That doesn't prove anything." Sully warned, his brow creased. "I don't want you to be disappointed if this turns out to be someone else's blood. You know, Sergeant Cruz gave a pretty detailed version of what happened here that day."

"Yeah. HER version..." 

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm sure she knows more than she's telling us." She stated. "That woman's dangerous, Sully. She uses people. I... I tired to warn Bosco, but he wouldn't listen."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?"

Her gaze softened. "I don't want to see him hurt. He... he doesn't deserve this."

Sully put a hand on her shoulder. "We're gonna find him. And if he's not guilty we're gonna do everything we can to help him."

"Yeah," she whispered. "Thanks, Sully."

"Come on. Let's get out of here." He patted her on the shoulder and took the pipe from her hand, placing it back down on the ground, then slowly started to walk towards the hallway. 

As he adjusted his utility belt, he dropped the handkerchief to the floor. Faith instinctively knelt down to pick it up when her eye caught something.

She stuffed the handkerchief back in her pocket and took a few steps to her left.

Stacks of crates were piled in the corner of the room, but there was definitely something glinting in the dim light.

Faith switched on her flashlight and pointed it straight ahead, stepping further into the room.

"Oh my god..."

As she took the object in her shaky hand, a breath got stuck in her throat.

A police badge, its broken lace dangling in the air.

She stared at the numbers engraved on it. 3379. 

Bosco's badge.

"Sully..." she called, but what came out was a choked whisper.

"Sully." she tried again, surprised at how her voice was shaking too.

A few seconds later he was back in the room. "What?"

He looked at her and instantly knew something was wrong. "Faith, are you okay?" he asked, concerned, as he stared at her pale face.

She didn't say anything, just held her hand out for him to see.

"That's Bosco's badge." he noted as his eyes fixed on the silver shield. "Where did you find it?"

"Right here." Faith replied, pointing to a spot on the ground.

They stood there in silence for a while, facing each other, pondering how much such a discovery would affect the ongoing investigation.

"We should call the Lieutenant." Faith finally said.

"Maybe they had a fight, and then Bosco chased him down the hallway." Sully wondered out loud.

Faith shook her head. "I'm not sure, Sully. The girl at the bus station said he might be hurt. What if Diaz attacked him? I mean, we found that pipe, and his badge. Yeah, maybe they had a fight, but all the evidence points to this room."

"That doesn't explain the shooting."

"Don't you understand? If Bosco was in this room when it happened, that means he's not guilty!" She suggested, trying to convince herself more than him.

Sully held out his hand. "Wait. You're missing something here: Sergeant Cruz. What about her?"

"Cruz..." she gave him a half laugh. "What, you believe her 'he-knocked-me-down' theory too? Come on, she's smarter than that. Think about it. Diaz was a drug dealer. Chances are he was even involved in her sister's death. Now what if she got her revenge on the guy and then set Bosco up so she could walk away with it?"

"You're still short a motive, Faith. I mean, granted, the woman's an arrogant little bitch. But she's a cop. What would she have against Bosco?"

"This is not about Bosco." She replied. "This is about revenge. About her power to control other people's lives."

Sully looked at her like she'd lost her mind. "This is insane. I can't believe she would stoop this low."

Faith moved towards the door. "Trust me. You don't want to know." She sighed. "I'm gonna call the Lieutenant."

They walked back to the hallway and were about to climb down the stairs when they heard a loud thud coming from upstairs, followed by the sound of footsteps pressing on the ground.

They both looked around, their guns ready, trying to locate the source of the noise when they spotted someone coming down the stairs.

"Hey, you! Stop!" Sully yelled.

"Police!" Faith echoed. "Put your hands up!" 

They watched as the dark figure slowly did as instructed. 

"Good. Now turn around and put your hands on your head."

The perp's face finally came into view, revealing a young woman. "I didn't do anything." She cried out. "Just needed a place to crash."

"Yeah, we'll see about that." Sully said as Faith came forward and started to search her.

"Up against the wall. Now." She ordered. "Spread your legs." 

She turned to Sully. "She's clean."

"I told you I didn't do anything!" 

"Just shut the hell up, will ya?" She countered, trying not to lose her patience.

"What, you're gonna kill me like the other lady cop did?"

Faith took a step back. "What?"

"You heard me. The bitch killed him without a reason!" She pointed to the blood still soaking the pavement. "Over there. See that big red spot? He was on the ground, and she shot him! You think I'm afraid? No way." She said, shaking her head in protest. "You cops think you can do anything you want? You're wrong! Now leave me alone!" 

"Slow down, ma'am." Sully stepped in. "You talking about the man that was killed here a week ago? The drug dealer?"

The woman crossed her arms over her chest. "Don't know about no drug dealer, but he sure didn't deserve to die like that."

"And a woman killed him?" he pressed.

"What, are you deaf or something?"

Suddenly his pulse was racing. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. Small, dark hair. Dog-face shot him three times!"

Faith stared at her. "Cruz... I knew it."

She looked at the woman, half shaking her head in disbelief, half smiling as she felt tears welling in her eyes. A million thoughts crossed her mind. Bosco was innocent. She knew her partner wasn't a murderer, but somehow the news that Cruz had set him up upset her even more.

Did he know his girlfriend was playing with his life? Probably not. There's no point in hiding if you're not guilty.

Her heart sank at the thought of what he must've been experiencing since that fateful night. Bosco always acted like a tough guy, but she knew there were things he could not come to terms with, and one of them was the possibility of him acting like one of the criminals he chased down every day.

He'd been devastated after the Golden incident, when he realized he'd helped a man rape a young girl, so there was no way to tell how he was reacting now. Faith knew a thing or two though about his self-destructive behaviour, and that's why she'd been restless all week.

If a trip to Providence was only a possbility just half an hour ago, now it was definitely real. 

She was going to bring him back.

"Ma'am, would you tell the detectives what you just told us?" she asked, swallowing hard.

"You can bet your ass I'm going to testify!" The woman spoke up. "People like that make me sick! To protect and to serve, huh? Son of a bitch!"

"Okay, just come with us, ma'am." Sully said, leading her down the stairs.

His eyes met Faith's and they shared a weary smile.

The nightmare was over.

***


	10. Justice is Served

Author's note: This chapter is kind of short so I thought I'd post another one for you guys! :) Cruz is definitely getting what she deserves here, but you're going to see her again in the epilogue... I know you're waiting, and I promise the next chapter will be entirely focused on Bosco and Faith. 

Thanks for your wonderful reviews.

***

Chapter ten - Justice is Served

***

"Sir, how long are we gonna wait?" Faith nervously asked as she paced the floor of the small room.

"The dispatcher advised her to report to the House a while ago. She should be here any minute." Swersky replied, his eyes cast downward as he leaned on the edge of his desk.

The old man sighed wearily. This was a sad day for the department. While he obviously felt relieved to hear that Officer Boscorelli wasn't responsible of Ray Diaz's murder, taking down one of their own was never a pleasant task, especially if it was a Sergeant with an attitude as tough as Cruz.

This wouldn't be easy. She wasn't likely to go down without a fight.

"How come we didn't see this coming?" she spoke again, her eyes pleading for an answer. "I mean, how did we let this happen?"

"I don't know, Faith." he sadly admitted. "If you and Sully hadn't found that witness, Bosco would've spent the rest of his life in jail without anybody saying a word about it." He slowly got up and stared out the window at the crowded hall. "The truth would've never been uncovered..." he finished as his voice trailed off. 

"Do we know anything about why she asked to be transferred here? This might not have been the first time..." she sucked in a sharp breath. "What do you think about her?"

He turned around to face her, his expression somber and serious. "You want the truth? She's the worst excuse for a cop I ever ran into. I... I used to be impressed with her. She's made arrests, you know, got things done. But then her questionable methods started to draw my attention, and this... well, this proves I was right. I'm sorry I didn't realize it sooner."

"It doesn't matter now, Lieu." Faith softly replied. "I just hope she gets what she deserves."

"I can promise you that." He said, giving her a small smile.

Just then, a knock on the door interrupted them, and Detective Cooke stepped in. He walked up to the Lieutenant and handed him a manila folder.

"This is it," he said, "Miss Robertson's statement about what happened that day."

Swersky nodded his head.

"I must admit this comes as a lifesaver for us." Cooke apologized. "We were kind of stuck with the investigation."

"Yeah, she did a pretty good job of manipulating evidence..." Faith whispered with a frown. 

"Lieu, you wanted to see me?" 

They all turned around at the sound of Maritza Cruz's voice. She was standing in the doorway, a puzzled expression on her face. "What's going on here?"

"Come in and close the door, Sergeant." Swersky ordered, his voice firm.

"Lieu?" 

"Just do it."

Cruz closed the door behind her and took a couple of steps forward, her gaze taking in the scene in front of her. Detective Cooke was the man assigned to Diaz's case. Why was he there? The Lieutenant looked angry, and was holding some kind of document in his hand. Then there was Faith Yokas. This couldn't be good.

"Sergeant, there's been an unexpected turn in the investigation." Swersky began.

"Really?" she said, pretending to be surprised by the news. She still had no idea what this was about, but feared it had something to do with the truth. The –real- truth.

"I was hoping you could give us some explanations."

"About what?"

"About what -really- happened in that hallway." He stated, looking directly into her eyes.

"Did you find Boscorelli?" She immediately asked, afraid that he was the one behind this.

"Not yet. But we're close."

"Then what do you want me to say?" she inquired as her body stiffened. "Everything I know is written in my report, Lieu."

Faith stared into those cold, arrogant eyes. She wanted to take her down so bad, tempted to smack her smug face against the wall.

Swersky cut her off. "It's over, Sergeant. Your little plan didn't work out."

She stood there, trying not to show any fear, though her confidence was beginning to waver. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about a witness, Sergeant." He insisted. "You sure you've got nothing to tell us?"

Her eyes lit up with a sudden fury. "Are you accusing me of something here?"

"We have a woman who claims she saw you kill the suspect while he was laying helpless on the ground. Is that true?" He said, both hands on his hips in an authoritative gesture.

Cruz's eyes widened. _God, how is that possible?_

"What? This is bullshit!" she said. "It's total crap!" The veins on her neck started to bulge. "What's this, some kind of joke?"

"I wish it was." The Lieutenant replied. " 'Cause then I wouldn't have to believe a Sergeant shot a man in cold blood and led me to believe that one of my best officers was responsible for that."

Faith couldn't take her eyes off her. She sure had no conscience, no guilt whatsoever. Her arrogance was stunning, even now.

"This is not happening," Cruz muttered, shaking her head. "You're making a big mistake here..."

She ran a hand through her hair and looked at Faith, a wicked smile on her face. "It was you... You set me up so you could have Boscorelli all for yourself!"

Faith glared at her but said nothing.

"You couldn't accept that he chose me over you so you made up this mysterious witness to take me out of the picture..." she angrily spat, her voice even.

Swersky rolled his eyes. "Stop it, Cruz. You're only making this worse!"

"This is all your fault!" she yelled, pointing her finger at Faith. "You're gonna pay for it!"

"What, you're gonna kill me too?" she sneered as she came closer. "You're the one that screwed up, and Bosco was smart enough to realize it too. Why do you think he ran away? Why do you think he didn't call you? Because he doesn't trust you!"

"Enough!" Swersky spoke up. "Yokas, back off. I'm sure Sergeant Cruz didn't mean a thing she said... right, Sarge?"

Cruz turned toward the Lieutenant. "I..." The reality of the situation was finally sinking in.

"Good." He walked back to his desk and sat down, rummaging through the papers on the table. "I need you to fill these out, and surrender your gun and shield."

She stood there, speechless for a few seconds, then sank into one of the chairs across from his desk. She slowly took her gun and placed it on the table, then hesitantly removed the badge and handed it to the Lieutenant. _It's over,_ she thought to herself. _My career is over. _

"You forgot something." Faith added. She bent down and yanked Bosco's handcuffs off her belt, fastening them to her own.

"That was wrong. And stupid." Swersky reasoned. "I hope you realize it now."

Cruz leaned back in the chair. "I needed revenge," she whispered. "I needed someone to pay for my sister's death. Diaz, he... he was the guy. He sold her drugs. I had to stop him..."

She closed her eyes and listened as the Lieutenant read her her rights.

TBC...


	11. Reunion

Author's note: Well, here we go, I guess this is what you guys were waiting for. Hope I live up to your expectations... :) Good news is, this is NOT the last chapter. The original chapter was too long, and then I came up with a small scene that I realized was the perfect end, so I'm going to post an epilogue in a couple of days. For now, enjoy our favourite duo finally together and thanks for the great feedback!

***

Chapter eleven – Reunion

***

"What am I doing here?" Faith asked herself as she parked her truck near the bus station in Providence and switched the engine off.

She rested her elbow against the bottom of the window and sat there, eyes closed. Here she was, after driving all the way up to Rhode Island all by herself, hoping to find her partner, work things out and bring him back home.

She'd asked the Lieutenant to let her try and locate him rather than notify the local PD. If he was still here and didn't know they'd solved the case they could easily scare him away, and then finding him would be even more difficult than it actually was.

She got out of the car and looked around. She had a list of motels but figured she should start with the ones closer to the station since he'd probably been tired after the long trip and just wanted to rest. Hell, -she- was tired after the long drive, and she wasn't hurt or in shock.

She crossed the street and headed to the same 24-hour store Bosco had been in a week before. A short, skinny kid in a black sweatshirt and a blue name-tag that read 'Frankie' made his way to her.

"You need help?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm looking for the "Blue Ridge Motel."

The boy smiled at her. "Oh. Then you came to the right place, ma'am. I can definitely help."

"That's great." Faith replied.

Frankie looked at her through his glasses. "I know the owner." he declared, giving her another smile. "My uncle. I'd... walk you if I wasn't alone in this place..."

Faith took a step back. _Is he hitting on me? Great,_ she thought to herself as she recalled a similar scene in the waiting room of Emily's therapist a few weeks before. "It's okay. I just need to know which way to go." 

"It's easy, you know? Just go down the road to the left. Two blocks, you can't miss it."

"Thanks." She put the list back in her purse and turned to leave.

"How long are you staying in town?" he asked as his gaze followed her.

Faith rolled her eyes. "Sorry, I'm just visiting a friend." 

"Oh." He muttered, disappointment written all over his face . "That's a shame."

She waved him goodbye and walked out of the store. _That was weird_, she commented as she started to follow his directions.

True enough, less than five minutes later, she was looking at the blue sign of the motel. 

She took a deep breath ad headed inside. 

A man was reading a newspaper behind the front desk. Faith approached him and leaned forward, both hands on the counter. "Hi."

The man looked up at her. "Hi. How can I help you?"

She reached into her jacket pocket and took out Bosco's picture. "I'm looking for a friend. I know he's in town but I'm not sure where, so I was wondering if you could take a look at this picture and tell me if you recognize him."

He shrugged, giving her a puzzled look. "Sure. Can't hurt." He pushed his glasses up his nose. "If he's your friend how come you don't know where he's staying?"

Faith hesitated, surprised by the question. "We... had a fight."

She held the photo out for him. "Have you seen him?"

The man looked at it for a long moment. "Yeah." He nodded. "Yeah, I think he's here."

Faith felt her heart start to beat faster. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. 'Been here for a week or so." He added. "The guy with the weird name. What was it?"

"Boscorelli. Maurice Boscorelli."

His expression suddenly changed into a serious one. "Nope. That's not him."

Faith blinked in disbelief. "What? You just said..."

"I know what I said, ma'am. I mean, I've seen this guy, but that's not his name." He explained. "He's registered with..." He started to flip through a black register. "Damn. I used to be quite good, you know? Now I can't even remember a name."

"Do you mind if I take a look?" she offered.

"Go ahead." he replied, handing her the register. 

She leafed through the pages until her eyes came across a familiar name. There it was. Ray Kinsella. A smile spread across her face as she recognized the character of Bosco's favourite movie.

"You found it?"

She pointed to the name. "Yeah. I did."

The man followed her gaze. "Oh yeah, that's it! Kinsella. Now isn't that weird or what?" he laughed.

"What room?" she asked.

"126. That way, ma'am." He replied as he gestured to his left.

"Do you know if he's in there?"

"Not sure. I haven't seen him around much."

"Thanks."

Faith hesitantly walked up the corridor. _What if he's not here?_ She wondered. _What if he doesn't want to see me?_ She had no idea what she was going to say to him, but she was determined to go on.

Moments later, she was standing in the dingy hallway outside Bosco's room. She slowly raised her hand and knocked on the door.

No answer.

She knocked again.

"Go away! I'm paid up through Saturday!" A voice called from inside.

Relief washed over her as she heard his voice. "Thank God," she whispered as she gave it another try. _Come on, Bosco. Open this door._

Bosco got up from the bed and staggered to the door.

He was still half-asleep when he unhooked the chain and didn't realize he wasn't at home, but hiding in an unfamiliar town. "Yeah." He wearily said as the door swung open.

"Bosco?"

His head jerked up at the sound of his name as his eyes focused on his partner's face. She was dressed in a black leather jacket, blue jeans and a white shirt. Her eyes glistened with tears, but she was smiling one of those beautiful smiles that always warmed his heart to the core.

Lips parted as if to speak but speechless with surprise, he gazed at her as though she was a ghost. "Faith?"

She took in his appearance. He looked as if he'd aged ten years in a short amount of time: his shoulders were hunched forward, his head tilted down and he hadn't shaved in a week. But the haunted look in his eyes was the thing she'd remember for the rest of her life.

She struggled to blink back tears as she offered him a smile.

"I didn't do it, Faith." he whispered. "I swear to God it wasn't me."

"I know that, Bosco." She gently replied. "That's why I came up here."

"She..." his lips moved to frame a response, but then he stopped.

Faith nodded her head. "We found evidence... she's going to pay for it."

"You did?" he asked, hoping what he was hearing was true.

"Yeah. It's okay, Bos. It's over."

"God..." He ran a hand through his hair and stared down at the floor. "This week... getting through, it's been hell." He finally admitted. "I can't handle another week like this..."

He felt Faith's hand circle his own and soon found himself in her arms. The tears came despite all the effort to fight them off and he held her tight, as if breaking physical contact would shatter the spell and she would disappear again.

"I loved her, Faith..." he sighed as more tears ran down his face.

She said nothing. She just hugged him and let him cry. She thought he didn't really expect answers, which was good, because she didn't have any answers to give. Everything that had happened before was only a faded memory now. They were here, together, after denying themselves for so long the only thing they'd needed the most. Each other.

When Bosco finally pulled away and wiped his eyes, Faith realized they were still standing in the doorway. "Can I come in?"

His lips parted into a weak smile. "Sure." 

He stepped aside and let her in.

She looked around and frowned. The room was unkempt, the metal-frame bed and the small desk littered with clothes, newspapers and beer bottles.

He shot a glance at the disheveled room, then at her. "Sorry," he apologized. "I wasn't expecting any visitors."

She waved him off. "It's me, Bos. It's not like I haven't seen your apartment before."

He closed the door and motioned her to a chair near the window, then slowly followed her and sat down on the bed.

"How did you find me?"

Faith took off her jacket and hung it on the back of the wooden chair. "A... girl back at the bus station. She led me to Providence. And then I guess it's a good thing I actually listened to you when you were rambling about your favourite movie..."

She offered him a smile. "You know, the girl wanted to ask you out, but I don't think she's your type. Too young."

He shrugged and bent his head down. "Story of my life. Always the wrong women..."

Faith pulled the chair closer and gently touched his hand. "Come on, it's over now. She's not worth it."

"I'm sorry."

"Bosco..."

"I'm sorry, Faith." He repeated as he looked up at her, his eyes glimmering as he focused on her face. "You were right. You warned me, and... I guess somehow I knew it too, but I just couldn't convince myself it was true."

"It's okay..." she whispered.

He shook his head. "No, it's not okay. I screwed up. I always end up hurting all the people I care about..."

"That's not true, and you know it."

He exhaled and averted his eyes, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. 

Faith cupped his face in her hands. "Bosco, listen to me. I'm sorry things haven't worked out for the two of you, but you still have your job. And you have me. We've both made mistakes, but I'm willing to try again..."

Bosco closed his eyes and wished that they could stay like that forever. At that very moment, the gentleness of her fingertips against his cheeks, the love in her eyes, the tenderness in her voice made him realize it was okay to show weakness, and that no one is ever so big not to need help every once in a while.

She was giving him a second chance, and he would hold onto it with all that he had.

"So is she really gonna pay?"

"Absolutely." Faith smiled. "You should've seen Lieu's face..."

"Good. I don't know how long I'd have lasted out here."

He moved away from her and walked to the window, gazing out at the morning sun. Faith did the same and stood beside him.

"So, are we okay?" she asked.

He wiped a lonely tear. "Please don't. I don't know if I can handle this now."

"I don't know either." She said, tentatively reaching out for his hand. "How about we try?"

***


	12. Closure

Author's note: Well guys, this is it. The last chapter. I feel kinda sad because I loved writing this story, but that's just me, and it happens with everything I write. A huge thanks to all of you who've reviewed it, you really are the best.

Not sure what I'm going to do now, probably step back until I find something interesting to write about, but if you have good ideas for a good angsty story...well, feel free to contact me and I'll start writing again! ;)

This said, thanks again and enjoy the finale!

***

Epilogue – Closure

***

"Here. Just sign this and we're all set."

Bosco sighed as the young guard handed him a pen and pointed to a dotted line on a sheet of paper.

It'd been three days since his return to New York, and he was still trying to cope with the events of that terrible week. 

Despite his seven days as a fugitive, Lieutenant Swersky had welcomed him back as soon as Faith had driven him to the precinct. He'd given him his badge back and advised him to take a few more days off to get himself together, with a not-so subtle hint to go and see the department's psychologist.

Then, like a father to his son, he'd made him promise to come and talk to him every time he felt like he was going under.

The same officers who'd sadly stared at each other a few days before now smiled at him or patted his shoulder in a reassuring gesture. Bosco didn't know how much they'd been told, but he accepted their kindness.

It felt good to be thought of as family.

At first he'd struggled not to ask the question that was still bothering him, but then realized that this whole ordeal had changed him and he was a different person now, more mature in a way.

The old Bosco would've probably let it sink in the back of his mind, but this was the new Bosco, and he wasn't afraid to ask anymore.

That's why he was now standing in front of a barred metal door, a warden at his side.

He wasn't sure he wanted to do this, but he also felt it was the only way to find some kind of closure and finally put everything behind.

His heart beat loudly in his chest and his palms broke out in a nervous sweat as he walked through the long walkway, but he kept going until they reached another door and the warden motioned for him to step aside.

He fumbled with his keys, then carefully slid the right one into the lock and the door swung open. "You have five minutes." 

Bosco's gaze trailed after him to the inside of the small, white room. "It's enough."

The man gave him a sympathetic look. "I'll be outside."

Bosco nodded his head and stepped into the room. He flinched as the heavy door closed behind him and for a moment he wished the guard would have followed him inside. The mere thought of being alone with her again sent shivers down his spine.

__

Breathe, he urged himself. _She's not a threat anymore._

Maritza Cruz raised her head and looked up at him. A mix of surprise, confusion and rage crossed her face as she straightened up in her chair and her lips curved into a wicked smile.

"What are you doing here?" she immediately asked.

She was dressed in the typical orange short-sleeved jumpsuit and her hands were cuffed in front of her.

Bosco took a few steps closer and pulled out the other chair, sitting across from her at the table.

"What, you got nothing to say Boscorelli?"

He stared at her, trying to fight the anger that was beginning to boil over within him. "Actually, I was just thinking this is right where you belong, Sergeant. That uniform suits you."

Her dark eyes glared with hate.

"I bet you're happy now. With me finally out of the way you and that bitch Yokas can play partners again. I've always wondered what you saw in her..." she smirked. "Thought I'd shown you I'm way better than she is, but you've never been smart enough, Boscorelli."

He immediately stood up, toppling his chair over in the process, and a loud crash echoed in the small room. 

If the warden outside heard the noise, he made no attempt to let them know. 

"Don't you dare compare yourself to her, you hear me? You're not fit to breathe the same air!" he hissed as his fist connected with the table.

Cruz jumped and leaned back in her chair, surprised by his sudden outburst.

He took in a few shallow breaths and raked his hand through his short hair. He knew she was only trying to start a fight, but he wasn't going to give her the satisfaction so he picked up the chair and sat down again.

Cruz's fingers started to trace the edge of the small table. "Sorry," she sneered. "I didn't know you cared that much..."

Bosco didn't say anything, just looked into her cold eyes. What did he find there? Nothing, except for her hatred and disdain. She was obviously incapable of feeling guilt, but he doubted she could actually feel anything at all.

She reached across the table and tried to take his hand, but he instinctively pulled away.

"You may not believe it, but in my own way I loved you."

Bosco shook his head. "You couldn't have. No one can hurt someone they love that much."

"We were good together..." she spoke again, apparently lost in her own train of thoughts. "...A perfect match until she turned you against me."

He stared at her, disbelief written completely across his face. "Yeah, a perfect match..." he repeated, lowering his voice to a whisper. "I'm just sorry I didn't listen to her when she first tried to warn me. Took me a while to figure out who you really are but I'm glad I finally did."

His gaze drifted to the wall behind her. "You're nothing like Faith. She... You just gave orders, and I followed them."

As he sat there, eyes locked on the woman he'd once thought he loved, he understood the difference between justice and revenge. Genuine justice would bring him no relief of his pain, no sense of triumph.

He realized he hadn't come here looking for an answer to his questions, or to make sure she got what she deserved. It was just something ha had to do to close this last chapter in the book of his life and move on.

A new one was already waiting for him outside. Bosco didn't know if it was going to be a good or a bad one, but he was looking forward to it.

"Wait, where do you think you're going?" Cruz asked as she watched him rise from his chair.

"I'm leaving." He coldly replied. "I've got nothing to say to you."

Her eyes narrowed. "Don't you dare walk away from me, Boscorelli!"

Bosco put both hands on the table and leaned forward so that he was at eye level. "You know what, Cruz? You don't give orders anymore."

He turned around and walked to the door. "Open up! We're done in here." He said to the guard outside.

"Bosco, wait!" Cruz begged as she ran after him. "I love you. We can still be together..."

Her cuffed hands reached for his arm just as the warden stepped inside. The man quickly grabbed her and dragged her back to the table as she kept screaming his name.

"Go," he said, turning to Bosco. "Go now."

"Nooooooo!" came her desperate plea. 

Bosco gave her one last glance before disappearing into the hallway.

"I hope you burn in hell, you son of a bitch! You ruined it all!" she yelled.

The guard shot her a menacing look. "You better shut up, bitch." He whispered to her ear. "Or I'm gonna make YOUR life a living hell..."

***

The afternoon sun was slowly sinking below the horizon as he walked out of the facility, feeling a satisfaction he wasn't sure he wanted to feel. He slipped on his sunglasses and smiled as he spotted a familiar figure leaning against the side of his car.

"You ready?" Faith asked as she handed him the keys and opened the door to the passenger's side. "Don't know about you but I'm kind of hungry."

Bosco's smile broadened. 

"Sure. Let's go."

THE END 


End file.
